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Before buying a Fitbit, check out these Garmin fitness trackers under $100

If you’re looking for a great fitness tracker to keep tabs on your general health, then the Apple Watch and line of Fitbits are probably the best way to go. Not everyone, however, wants to spend a lot of cash on a fitness device — and thankfully, for those people there are some great alternatives. If you’re in the market for a Fitbit or smartwatch alternative on a budget, then check out these fitness trackers under $100. With budget options from Garmin and Amazfit, efficient activity tracking doesn’t need to be overly expensive.

Garmin Forerunner 35 — $100

Garmin Forerunner 35 GPS watch
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Looking for a high-quality fitness tracker and don’t mind hitting that $100 limit? The Garmin Forerunner 35 might be the smartwatch for you. The device looks much like any other smartwatch, plus it offers a GPD tracker, and a heart rate monitor that can monitor your heart rate 24/7. The device is great for more than just running, too — it’s got a 5 ATM water-resistance rating, meaning that it should be able to withstand depths of up to 50 meters. The Garmin Forerunner 35 is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones, and can show notifications, control music, and more.

Amazfit Bip Smartwatch — $70

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It’s not a Garmin, but it is a solid cheap smartwatch. Amazfit has some pretty sweet fitness trackers of its own, like, for example, the Amazfit Bip. The device looks relatively sleek and stylish, plus it’s relatively powerful under the hood, offering heart rate monitoring, GPS, and sleep tracking. On top of that, it should last a long time — the device offers an ultra-long battery life that Amazfit says will get it through 30 days of use on a single charge. That’s pretty impressive. The Amazfit Bip also supports notifications from many of your favorite apps, and can be integrated with Google Fit.

Garmin Vivosmart HR — $85

GARMIN – VIVOSMART HR – BLACK
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Perhaps you prefer the fitness tracker form factor to the smartwatch one — in which case it’s worth checking out the Garmin Vivosmart HR. The Vivosmart HR will look right at home on any wrist, and offers heart monitoring and the ability to track steps, floors climbed, and other metrics. It may not have GPS like some of the other devices on this list, but it’s still more than capable of tracking most basic fitness metrics. The Garmin Vivosmart HR is compatible with iOS, Android, and even Windows devices.

Garmin Vivofit 3 — $58

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The Garmin Vivofit range of trackers is worth considering, too. The Vivofit 3 is cheaper than most of the other devices on this list, offering the ability to track both fitness during the day, and your sleep at night. The device can sync with your Android and iOS smartphone, and can last a whopping year on a single charge, meaning you can largely forget about having to charge the device in your day-to-day life. Last but not least, the Garmin Vivofit 3 offers a 10mm x 10mm display with a resolution of 64 x 64 pixels — which displays steps and the time.

Garmin Vivofit 4 — $80

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Last but not least is the Garmin Vivofit 4, which is a little pricier than the Vivofit 3, but offers a few extra features, like a more modern design and a more vibrant display with a higher resolution. The device also has all the basic fitness tracking features that you would expect from a Vivofit device, including step tracking, calories burned, and more — plus the device connects with Garmin Connect.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
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If you've been around kids for a while, you know they love gadgets. Many parents are concerned their children are gripped by technology, but this doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Devices like fitness trackers can be useful for kids to encourage movement in a way that's actually fun, and they can help keep them fit and outside in a way not usually associated with technology as a whole. Intrigued? Here's a roundup of the best fitness trackers for kids.
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